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Ryan Sessegnon called up to England U21 squad for first time

Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon celebrates scoring his sides first goal of the match during the Championship match against Wolves at Craven Cottage
Image: Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon has drawn comparisons with Gareth Bale

Ryan Sessegnon has been called into England's U21 squad for the first time after claims from his Fulham manager the 17-year-old could go to the World Cup.

Slavisa Jokanovic insisted Sessegnon, who has scored 14 goals for his Sky Bet Championship club, is "not a kid, he is a man" earlier this month - tipping the player for a place in Gareth Southgate's senior squad to go to Russia this summer.

Sessegnon has drawn comparisons with Gareth Bale following a shift from left back to left wing for Fulham, which has borne a run of 10 goals in 12 games between Christmas and March.

Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his side's third goal
Image: Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold is also in the U21 squad

Along with Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, he was touted as a possible selection for England's warm-up friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy this month, but has instead been selected in the U21 squad for March's Cyrille Regis International with Romania and a Euro qualifier against Ukraine.

"It's been a good start to our new Euro campaign," said U21s manager Aidy Boothroyd.

"We've got 13 points from the five games, a five-point lead at the top of our group and after analysing all of those games from different areas, we still think we could be better, so that's a real positive."

The duo will be joined by Dominic Solanke and Tammy Abraham, who have dropped into Boothroyd's set-up after being part of Southgate's last senior squad.

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Manchester City goalkeeper Angus Gunn, who was on the bench for England senior side's game against Brazil in November, is also in the U21 squad this time around.

Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks is included despite fears over an ankle injury.

Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook, though, has moved up to the senior ranks as part of Southgate's squad.

Full England U21 squad:

Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Norwich City - on loan from Manchester City), Dean Henderson (Shrewsbury Town - on loan from Manchester United), Freddie Woodman (Aberdeen - on loan from Newcastle United)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Jake Clarke-Salter (Sunderland - on loan from Chelsea), Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), Mason Holgate (Everton), Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham), Fikayo Tomori (Hull City - on loan from Chelsea), Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur), Joe Worrall (Nottingham Forest)

Midfielders: Tom Davies (Everton), Kieran Dowell (Nottingham Forest - on loan from Everton), Ovie Ejaria (Sunderland - on loan from Liverpool), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Josh Onomah (Aston Villa - on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Swansea City - on loan from Chelsea), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Demarai Gray (Leicester City), Jack Harrison (Middlesbrough - on loan from Manchester City), Ademola Lookman (RB Leipzig - on loan from Everton), James Maddison (Norwich City), Dominic Solanke (Liverpool)

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